Calamity Jayne Heads West (Kathleen Bacus)

Tress Jayne Turner, Grandville Iowa's own little "Calamity," is headed for the Grand Canyon State -- and a wedding! No, not her own. She hasn't said yes to the roguish Ranger Rick yet, but after the past year, some downtime in a sweat lodge is just what the shaman ordered.

Unfortunately, it's her goofy granny gettin' hitched.

Tressa's sunny little siesta is about to have more strings attached than a dream catcher. Her cousin's keeping secrets, Rick's sending signals -- more of the smokin' than smoke variety -- and it seems Tressa's not the only person with an attachment to "Kookamunga", the butt-ugly fertility figurine she picked up at a roadside stand as a wedding gift. The wacky wedding's about to become a southwestern scavenger hunt, an amazing race cum Da Vinci Code-intrigue, featuring a washed-up actress out to kick-start her career, a suspect spiritual advisor, locals with a cause, and a ten-year-old who's a chip off a certain ranger's blockhead. It'll be a vision quest to make Thelma and Louise's southwestern spree seem like amateur night at the OK Corral. May the best spirit guide win.

Loved this one, too! (Something must really be wrong with her for not hooking up with the yummy Ranger Rick yet)

Calamity Jayne Goes To College (Kathleen Bacus)

Ace cub reporter Tressa Jayne Turner is carrying a full load -- and we're not talking post-holiday pounds. Back in college for the fourth time (but who's counting!?), she's also looking to nab a raise from her stingy boss at the Gazette, Stan. So, what's to stop her from making the grade -- besides the old "dog ate the homework" story, that is?

- A wrinkled roommate rekindling an old flame

- Maid-of-honor madness run amok

- A botched betrothal that's more than just schoolyard gossip

- One man who likes her for herself and another who wants to save her from herself

- A campus criminal out to teach the student body a lesson--one crime at a time

It's a case of murder and mayhem by the books... and failure is so not an option.

Bacus delivers again! There were points in this book where I laughed so hard I tears in my eyes!

All the Stars in Heaven (Michel Paige Holmes)

Ever since the woman he once adored told Jay Kendrich he was a chivalrous hero, he has tried to live up to the praise. But when things don't work out with Jane, moving on and dating other girls proves to be a chore. That is until he meets fellow Harvard student Sarah Morgan. Although Sarah is a freshman studying music and Jay is in his third year of law school, he discovers they have much in common. He has also discovered that getting to know the shy pianist is painful. The last thing Jay expected from his friendly advances was to be assaulted by a brawny stranger. It is abundantly clear that someone wants him to stay away from Sarah. If only he could.As long as she can remember, Sarah has lived under a watchful eye. While her father insists it's for her own protection, Sarah feels imprisoned. As she begins to believe that those she has trusted most don't have her best interest at heart, she is driven further from her respected father and closer to Jay. But their love will come at a high price as the pair edges closer toward a truth that is darker than either of them could have imagined.

This book was nothing of what I expected after reading the first book to this sequel, but I did enjoy the story and there were enough turns of events to keep your attention. Some of the suspense was predictable, but a good read.

Above Suspicion (Betsy Brannon Green)

Mary Grace O'Malley never wanted to run a small hotel, but she inherited The Arms, an inn on the Florida coastline. So for a year she's been making the best of it and ignoring her dreams. While preparing for the arrival of the ladies from Haggerty for their annual vacation, John Wright walks into The Arms. He once broke her heart and is now an investigative reporter and has come to Bethany Beach to solve a 25 year old murder. She agrees to help him just to get rid of him, but by solving the case - she finds herself.

I really enjoyed this authors writing style. I love reading murder mysteries and she has a fun way to put a love story right in the middle of the investigations. I think I will read more from this author, hopefully all her books are like this one.

Ghouls Just Want To Have Fun (Kathleen Bacus)

It's autumn in the heartland, when football rules and homecoming royalty reigns -- and full moons don't just mean a passing high school varsity bus. But this year, Tress Jayne Turner isn't enjoying the frivolity of the season. Our intrepid 23-year-old reporter is trying to recover from ten days at the State Fair. After being stalked by a psycho dunk-tank clown, all she wants is a slower pace, some candy corn and toffee apples -- and a serious story she can sniff out on her own.

She's in luck! Eccentric and reclusive bestselling writer Elizabeth Courtney Howard is coming to little ol' Grandville. So, what's stopping Tressa from getting the dope -- besides blackmailing six-foot-two-inch high school homecoming queen candidate with all the charm of Frankenstein in taffeta, a rival reporter out to scoop the competition, and the sexy park ranger who's kept Tressa's knickers in a knot since the fourth grade? Only the fact that the skeletons to uncover are all in a closet in Haunted Holloway Hall -- a house only Norman Bates could love.

It looks like a mother of a story.

This is the third in the Tressa Jayne Turner Mystery series or "Calamity Jayne" series. I loved this one too! I was a little shocked when all the sudden the book ended and was wanting a little more story in the end but I guess that'll just make me read the next one. :o)

Counting Stars (Michele Paige Holmes)

Jane was hoping for a second date — maybe even a boyfriend. What she wasn't expecting was Paul Bryant's completely original and sincere pick-up line: 'Hi. I'm Paul. I have terminal cancer. My wife was killed in a car accident, and I'm looking for a woman to raise my children.'
It was never Jane's plan to fall in love with a dying man and his two infants. But her seemingly simple decision to date someone outside her faith leads to one complication after another, and the choices she makes soon have far higher stakes than she could have foreseen. In choosing to help Paul, is she choosing to be alone forever? And how can something that seems so unbelievably messed up feel so completely right?
Sometimes love is found in the least likely places and the greatest blessings are discovered while counting stars.

I completely enjoyed this love story. I couldn't put it down and ended up having a completely lazy saturday, so that I could read the book in one day. Make sure you have the tissues nearby.

The Hidden Branch (GG Vandagriff)

Paul Mardian is a shining example of the American dream. The grandson of an Armenian immigrant who fled to the United States during the genocide of 1915, Paul is a self- made industrial tycoon and one of the most eligible bachelors in the country. But the dream is shattered when Paul turns up dead and his valuable collection of ancient Armenian artificats goes missing. Hired to find the murdered man’s heirs, professional genealogist Alexandra Campbell and her sidekick, Briggie, are brought to the swanky beaches of Southern California and a community of Armenian relatives who all seem to be hiding a secret. When another family member is suddenly murdered, Alex discovers there is more at stake than an unclaimed fortune or missing antiques, but piecing together Paul’s complicated family tree may be more dangerous than she ever anticipated. Author G. G. Vandagriff combines mystery, suspense, and romance in this page- turning thriller!

This is book 5 of this mystery series. I am trully enjoying the adventures that Alex and Briggie have been taking us on. Curious to see if the author adds any more adventures to this series.